Cloning Software

S

starfury6

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Messages
401
Hi peeps,

I am coming to the point where my system is going to need a reinstall (again) and I have never used cloning software before but I would like to do so after my next install.

Can you lot recomend the best software for the job? Any howto's...

Also what are the limitations? I usuallymove My Documents and things like that to another partiion, I assume they only clone the main OS install partition...

Thanks
 
I'll tack on my admiration for Ghost as well. I couldn't live without it - it's a great piece of software and has saved me countless hours of reinstalls.
 
I too would marry sysprep and ghost because then I could officially be an expert in it :) My poor sysprep threads never live a long life on the 1st page...
 
I ran into a situation once where I could not clone using Ghost, but I could using Acronis TrueImage, so I switched. I also like how, in certain instances, I don't have to reboot to clone. And, for when it does have to reboot, it clones during windows startup (therefore using the 32bit drivers... much faster)

Cloning is simple. You can clone by partition, by disk, it really couldn't be simpler. You'll understand more once you install the program and run it.
 
my vote goes for acronis true image.. always had problems with ghost so I swithched to true image and been working great ever since..
 
Seems an almost overwhelming approval for Norton Ghost. Thanks guys.

Whats sysprep used for Grimmda? I thought that was just to make sure you got a different Security ID on each image for coporate installtions?
 
WOAH....... For the price and reliability, go with Image for DOS & Image for Windows from http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/ . I have used Ghost, True Image and Image for DOS/Windows and Image for DOS/Windows is the best hands down.

I use image for DOS every week to backup my system and it has never failed me. It supports RAID (True Image dos not) and anything other hardware or OS you can throw at it. I prefer Image for DOS because it does not involve the OS, but Image for Windows is as reliable and as flexible as True Image.

The software is constantly being updated (about once a month) and their customer support is awesome.

Give it a look (they have a demo version available).........

PS - I am no way associated with this company, it is just that good of a product.

Later,
 
mhenley said:
I ran into a situation once where I could not clone using Ghost, but I could using Acronis TrueImage, so I switched. I also like how, in certain instances, I don't have to reboot to clone. And, for when it does have to reboot, it clones during windows startup (therefore using the 32bit drivers... much faster).
Click to expand...
Ghosting over a network is very fast. On a side point....cloning during a running Windows session....not a good idea. Just think about it for a little...how would you take a good snapshot of the OS when it's in use? Would you change your car's oil while it was running?

Advantage: Ghost.
 
I use Ghost8 most of the time and recently tried Acronis 7, Acronis was pretty nice, esp the no reboot needed sometimes.
 
are there any good guides out there for getting your system ready to take a snapshot for an image?

or howto's to using sysprep?

thanks,

Dx2
 
dx2 said:
are there any good guides out there for getting your system ready to take a snapshot for an image?

or howto's to using sysprep?

thanks,

Dx2
Click to expand...
There's a sticky on using sysprep....very extensive.

In terms of getting the system ready for cloning, you want to have everything loaded that you needed....all configuration and personalization done that you want, and then defragment it. Then it's ready.
 
Where's that sticky at? theres only 3 at the top of the OS sub-forum.
 
Gee whiz I never knew that sticky used sysprep to perform that process as I never looked at it because who the heck wouldn't just reload their OS if they got a new motherboard.

Not knocking it just amazed at the wonderful world of sysprep.
 
If cloning during a windows session is a issue then dont use newer versions of ghost .. cause I think thats all it has support for is taking images or cloning while in windows.. I maybe wrong..I know that version 8 still supported dos image taking but pretty sure the newer versions are during windows sessions only..Thing to a key windows session clone or image taking is not to have anything else running in the background. A snapshot is taken then the image is created that way there are no processes that are interfering with the imaging process..according to documentation that comes with ghost or acronis as well...
 
nomak said:
If cloning during a windows session is a issue then dont use newer versions of ghost .. cause I think thats all it has support for is taking images or cloning while in windows.. I maybe wrong..I know that version 8 still supported dos image taking but pretty sure the newer versions are during windows sessions only..Thing to a key windows session clone or image taking is not to have anything else running in the background. A snapshot is taken then the image is created that way there are no processes that are interfering with the imaging process..according to documentation that comes with ghost or acronis as well...
Click to expand...
It supports taking images within windows as, not instead of.

<-- Using Ghost Solutions suite 1.0
 
djnes said:
Ghosting over a network is very fast. On a side point....cloning during a running Windows session....not a good idea. Just think about it for a little...how would you take a good snapshot of the OS when it's in use? Would you change your car's oil while it was running?

Advantage: Ghost.
Click to expand...


I said "certain instances", specifially... not having to resize or recreate partition information, and neither of the drives being system.

TrueImage- 1: Locks partitions and runs inside of next windows startup, utilizing 32bit drivers which means less time, 2: more options and capabilities, 3: has worked when Ghost has failed, 4: recognizes all drives that windows does, including those in RAID

Advantage - Acronis TrueImage
 
djnes said:
Ghosting over a network is very fast. On a side point....cloning during a running Windows session....not a good idea. Just think about it for a little...how would you take a good snapshot of the OS when it's in use? Would you change your car's oil while it was running?

Advantage: Ghost.
Click to expand...


I kinda wish I could backup my system like I backup my AIX (ibm unix) boxes at work

# smitty mkdvd....<clickty click>...bootable....exclude some files....burn...

wait a while, done. perfect bootable copy of OS, can reinstall all on a DVD.

sweet.
 
mhenley said:
I said "certain instances", specifially... not having to resize or recreate partition information, and neither of the drives being system.

TrueImage- 1: Locks partitions and runs inside of next windows startup, utilizing 32bit drivers which means less time, 2: more options and capabilities, 3: has worked when Ghost has failed, 4: recognizes all drives that windows does, including those in RAID

Advantage - Acronis TrueImage
Click to expand...
So if I've had the opposite results with Acronis....and had Ghost work where Acronis failed....does that make me right???
At least if your going to slam Ghost, be accurate. It handles RAID arrays just fine...IDE, SATA, and SCSI. As far as 32 bit drivers and speed....not even going to bother. Ghost can do 5 GB of data for me on a corporate network, compressed and sent to my server in 5 minutes. There's no speed advantage of one app over the other.

Ghost has plenty of options and features Acronis doesn't....again, does that make me right? I love it when people argue opinions without basing them on facts. :D
 
this is about like comparing amd to intel.. some people like one over the other and have there reasons and stick behind them till the end.. I have used them both and both do the job.. its all in what you are looking for in software capabilities and how you like the overall performance of the software..I dont know that there are trial software version of ghost or not I know you can get a 30 day trial of true image.. so you can check it out and see if it fits your needs..
 
nomak said:
this is about like comparing amd to intel.. some people like one over the other and have there reasons and stick behind them till the end.. I have used them both and both do the job.. its all in what you are looking for in software capabilities and how you like the overall performance of the software..I dont know that there are trial software version of ghost or not I know you can get a 30 day trial of true image.. so you can check it out and see if it fits your needs..
Click to expand...
That's the point I was trying to make...arguing over opinions is stupid. I've used ghost for about 8 years now, and I trust it completely...but that's just me and my opinion. If you compare the features of the two, you can make a good choice. I prefer the methods of Ghost to anything else.
 
djnes said:
So if I've had the opposite results with Acronis....and had Ghost work where Acronis failed....does that make me right???
At least if your going to slam Ghost, be accurate. It handles RAID arrays just fine...IDE, SATA, and SCSI. As far as 32 bit drivers and speed....not even going to bother. Ghost can do 5 GB of data for me on a corporate network, compressed and sent to my server in 5 minutes. There's no speed advantage of one app over the other.

Ghost has plenty of options and features Acronis doesn't....again, does that make me right? I love it when people argue opinions without basing them on facts. :D
Click to expand...


1: I was answering your inquiry regarding my point about cloning drives inside of windows in "certain instances"
2: Everything that I have said while arguing my opinion has been fact. I never said Ghost couldn't do certain things, I simply pointed out that TrueImage has converted me from my Ghost-is-the-best mentality, and explained why.
3: At no point did I introduce any kind of malicious attitude, or make false statements about the person with whom I was arguing.
4: Your statements are correct about Ghost, I never said they weren't. My statements are correct about TrueImage.
5: This thread is about opinions. If you cannot respect mine, then leave.
 
Guys I have overflowing opinions, all are valid! I think this is done now isn't it?

Much appreciated.
 
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